Chapter 18: Ophi's Devilish Nature

{Katelyn's POV/Earlier this morning} 

'Why did she drag me all the way out here?' Ophi had scared off my only support, and now I'd have to endure her annoyingly persistent "interrogation."

We were standing in the Blossom Courtyard, flourishing with a variety of trees imported from various regions, representing our university's motto: "Together, We Are Stronger." A gentle breeze whispered softly, rustling through the leaves and sending a delicate shower of pink petals drifting lazily through the air. The sweet fragrance of cherry blossoms filled my nose, mingled with an earthy scent of freshly watered soil.

Cherry blossoms, oak, pine, birch—so many types, each tree adding its unique texture to the vibrant, colorful landscape.

She had brought us specifically to the cherry blossom section, which was thankfully less crowded, allowing the quiet hum of distant conversations and the occasional chirping of birds to create a soothing background melody.

'This can only end in disaster… EIZ, YOU TRAITOR!'

Chuckling mischievously, Ophi finally got straight to the point, though her hands were dangerously close.

"Stop!"

"What? I need to ensure my Kate hasn't been defiled!"

My face burned hotter than ever, and I could swear steam was practically escaping from it.

"W-We haven't gotten that far yet!"

"Oh? Yet, is it?"

"Wait—we aren't even officially dating! Guah?! You suck, Ophi!"

"Hmm-hmm." She nodded knowingly, which only flustered me more. Whenever she made that face, it meant she'd already figured everything out. I DIDN'T WANT HER TO FIGURE IT OUT!

"Ah, I understand now."

'No. God, please, no.'

"You like him, but you can tell he's not quite there yet."

'She nailed it again! Fuck me…'

I pouted, looking down at the ground despite being a grown woman. Technically, just turned eighteen, so a newly grown woman, but who cared about specifics!

"It'll be alright, Kate! Honestly, this is great. He's leagues ahead of those horn dogs who usually approach us. I think you've found a good one."

"R-really? You're actually not going to scare him off this time?"

She shook her head. "I can tell by the way he looks at you that he might stand a chance. Also, how dare you reject my protection?! I'm keeping you safe from another Chad situation!"

"I know, but you always go way too far."

"You little—"

"S-Sto—AUH?!"

"It's because of these, isn't it?!"

Ophi suddenly lunged for my breasts, catching me completely off guard. The sudden warmth of her hands caused my breath to hitch, my skin tingling at her unexpected touch. I countered desperately, retaliating with my own move.

PAH~!

"M-My~ I know it's nice, but you didn't need to spank me that hard!"

"Shut it, you weirdo!"

Her hands kept fondling my chest without restraint. It was a struggle holding back the embarrassing sounds that threatened to escape my throat; the sensation was electric, spreading warmth through me despite my embarrassment. What was even worse was that she managed to get an angle on me, so I couldn't retaliate with another spank! She had the upper hand.

'Thank god, Eiz isn't here to see this. Actually, I don't even know if I'd mind that all that much…'

"Look at your face. You're imagining Eiz right now, aren't you?"

"How did you know I called him that?!"

"Come on, Kate, my sweet childhood friend. It's common sense."

"You're annoyi—Mhm~!" I REALLY WANTED TO KILL HER.

Suddenly, Ophi stopped her assault. I gave her a puzzled and admittedly irritated look.

Turning around, I realized people were approaching. The distant murmur of voices grew louder, and footsteps softly crunched against the gravel walkway, signaling their approach.

'At least she still has some decency.'

As the duo drew closer, we both noticed something unexpected.

"Isn't that…?" Ophi started.

"It's our professor," I confirmed. But why was she here—and with a guy, no less? Could it possibly be?

I whispered to Ophi, whose wide, green eyes stared at me intently.

"You don't think they're going to do that, do you?"

"Wow~, my Kate has such a naughty imagination now that she's found love."

"Tch, shut it!" I stomped on her toes with all my strength, feeling satisfied at her silent agony. It relieved some of my earlier frustrations plus she just deserved it!

We hurried to hide and quietly moved closer, the promise of juicy gossip pushing us forward—because who didn't like a good story?

PAH~!

'D-Damn.' Our professor had slapped the guy in front of her. The frustrating part was that we couldn't figure out why.

"—This is what you get for pestering me all the damn time! Leave me alone. We aren't meant for each other. Get that through your head!"

Never mind figuring it out; our professor couldn't even keep her voice down, her words echoing clearly amidst the gentle sounds of nature. Fortunately for her, no one else seemed to be around—except us—which, now that I thought about it, was probably why they'd chosen this secluded spot.

The guy replied calmly, but I couldn't quite make out his words. Instead, I memorized his features: the neat, brown, well-kept hair, clean-shaven face, and healthy-looking, fair skin. I couldn't see his eyes because he was turned away from us, but I assumed they'd probably be pretty nice.

'Not as nice as Eiz's, though. His blue eyes are so mesmerizing.'

I really wanted to see him again. His presence was calming and nurturing; I felt completely at peace whenever he was near. 

'Jeez, I really need help'

—

{Back to present time} 

"It's so crazy, right?" I stared into my phone, even though no one stared back.

"Haha~ no wonder she was so upset earlier."

The sound of running water muffled Eiz's voice slightly, but I could still make out what he was saying.

'If only he knew about some of the other details.' I hadn't told him the embarrassing stuff, but I shared enough. He knew nothing about my feelings for him since I'd kind of tweaked the story a bit, but he was definitely aware of Ophi's hands-on approach.

Smiling, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe he felt a little jealous of her. That probably wasn't the case, but a girl could dream!

The water on the other end suddenly stopped, pulling me from my delusions.

"Give me a sec. I'm going to dry off and put some pants on." His calm voice came through clearly, replacing the running water.

"Hmm," I hummed in acknowledgment. I rested my head on my palms and continued swaying my feet. My chair was super high up so I could enjoy such a luxury. 

Waiting, my thoughts progressively got dirtier, and I had Ophi's earlier teasing to thank for that. Her annoying methods were entirely responsible for me thinking about this stuff!

'I wouldn't mind seeing it again-AH? I seriously needed help!' Clutching my forehead, I wiped the dirtiness from my mind. It was so embarrassing especially because he was on the other end of the phone.